Sumati Yong, Private Eye
by secondhermione
Summary: For Makorra Week 2012, Noir; "Wait," said Mako, sitting up. "You're not seriously telling me you've never heard of Sumati Yong?" Korra and Mako listen to Republic City's most popular radio serial together.


**Notes:** At first I was going to have them listen to a whole episode, but found it worked better if they only listened to the beginning, especially since I didn't have to come up with a plot, haha. I see Sumati as a sort of grown-up, Avatar-world Veronica Mars, but the dialogue is inspired by _A Prairie Home Companion_'s "Guy Noir, Private Eye." Hope you enjoy!

**—-**

Korra slid open Mako's door to find him lying on his bed, a forgotten police report resting on his stomach and his hands laced behind his head. The radio on his nightstand was switched on, currently blaring an advertisement for Chung's Phonographs. Quietly, she closed the door and sidled over to Mako's bed, gently prodding him over so she could join him, curling into his side. He leaned over her to set the report on his nightstand and slipped an arm around her, dropping a swift kiss on her forehead.

"Good, you're just in time for the new Sumati Yong!"

Korra raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. "Come again?"

Mako looked at her in disbelief. "_Sumati Yong, Private Eye_? Most popular mystery show on Republic City Radio for the last decade?"

Korra laughed. "Mako, I grew up in the South Pole, remember? Radio reception isn't great down there, especially not if it's coming all the way from the United Republic."

"Wait," said Mako, sitting up. "You're not seriously telling me you've never heard of Sumati Yong?"

"I believe that was the implication, City Boy," said Korra, amused by the absolutely scandalized expression spreading across her boyfriend's face. She propped herself up on her elbow and nudged his leg with her knee. "Go on then, what have I been missing all these years?"

"Sorry, I'm still getting over the fact that you've _never heard _of her. Everyone listens to Sumati, even the street kids. Even the Triads."

He looked at her like he expected her to punch him in the arm playfully and shout, "Just kidding!" When she didn't, he gave an incredulous sigh and slumped back down beside her.

"Sumati's this brilliant detective. She and her assistant run this little hole-in-the-wall agency in this old office building, but she's so good at what she does all the city's elite go to her to get their cases solved." A wide grin spread across his face, his amber eyes alight with enthusiasm. "She's really brave and resourceful, and she's got this nice sense of humor, very sarcastic. She's great. The show's great." He paused and noticed Korra smiling at him. "What?"

She leaned over and kissed his cheek affectionately. "You're just really cute when you're excited about something," she said. Mako went red (Spirits, she _loved_ making him blush), but wrapped his arms around her obligingly when she snuggled up to him again.

"It's just… Sumati was one of the only happy things I got to experience as a kid," he said softly, speaking low and close to her ear. "My mom tuned in every week. And it's how we got to know Narook; he and his wife love Sumati, and they didn't mind Bo and me coming by the restaurant to listen, no matter how dirty we were." The opening notes of what Korra assumed was Sumati's theme music trilled from the radio, and Mako turned the volume dial up. "Here, you've got to hear it for yourself."

How could she not, after that? She swallowed the odd lump that had formed in her throat and settled herself more comfortably against Mako's chest, listening intently as an announcer's deep voice filled the room.

"It's nightfall in Jade City, home of the rich and famous. But even the glamorous have skeletons in the closet. One woman strives to unearth them all – Sumati Yong, Private Eye." The theme music ended with a brassy flourish.

A new voice, a woman's, clear and staccato, took over. "It was raining cats and polar bear-dogs as I walked up to the office. The fallout from the Hyun case was finally tampering down, and with the head of the Black Sand Triad in the slammer I was looking forward to a relaxing evening of paperwork and maybe a pro-bending match on the radio. But as I took off my coat and Ming bent the water from my umbrella, I could see from her expression that something was amiss.

"'What's the damage this time, Ming? An-mei Lee caught embezzling again? Mayor's daughter run off to the Fire Nation?'"

"Neither," came another woman's voice, smoother and slightly younger-sounding. "Yuna Feng is back in town, Sumati."

"And I knew, when she slammed that newspaper down on my desk," said Sumati's voice, as a_thump_ in the background provided the accompanying noise, "that we were in trouble."

Korra lifted her head slightly and caught Mako's eye. "See?" he said, smiling warmly down at her. "Isn't it great?"

"It's wonderful," she replied sincerely. She tucked her head under his chin and lost herself in the jazzy swell of the soundtrack.


End file.
